Gravity action putter and methods of use

ABSTRACT

The current invention is a golf putter designed to be held by only one hand in order to achieve the ability to produce a pure pendulum motion. The pure pendulum motion has many advantages and solves problems encountered with the conventional two hand putting method. The shaft diameter is large enough to be gripped comfortably by one hand, anywhere along the shaft, and held against the arm, so that the arm and putter move in unison as a pendulum whose pivot point is the joint of the golfer&#39;s upper arm and shoulder. The golfer can move the putter in a coplanar motion similarly to a pure pendulum. The striking face of the putter may be set and maintained perpendicular to the target line, thereby solving the variable face angle problem attendant putting with two arms. Other putting errors are eliminated. The putter also works with two hands.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to golf putters and the methods with which they are used, specifically to an improved putter shaft and head design; and to use of the putter by holding with one hand in a manner that allows gravity to determine, in whole or in part, the speed with which the putter contacts the golf ball.

Many golf putter shaft, head and grip designs have been proposed in the past for clubs to be used for rolling a golf ball with the intent of the ball falling into the hole on the green.

Hundreds of patents have been issued and hundreds are pending for golf putters. No inventions have included making the shaft of a uniform diameter such that it may be grasped anywhere along the length of the shaft. Usually there is a small diameter shaft connected to the putter head, and one or two grips placed on the shaft.

The small diameter of the shaft allows there to be deflections between the putter head and the grip. These deflections can cause the ball to miss falling into the hole. The present invention solves this problem. The small diameter shaft is too small to be gripped effectively or comfortably. The present invention solves this problem.

When putting with the most often used method of gripping the putter with two hands near the top end of the putter, locking the wrists, and moving the putter by turning the shoulders back then forward, several undesirable things occur. On the backstroke, the putter head tilts to an “open” position and it moves inside the target line. When moved forward toward the ball, the putter head may not return to the square position at the proper time, resulting in an error.

All known putting methods utilize muscles in the golfer's body to move the putter head backward away from the ball and then again to move the putter head toward and contact the ball. This is further complicated because accelerating the club head through the contact is highly recommended by many experts. Muscles must then be controlling not only the speed of the putter head but the rate of change of speed, which is acceleration. The acceleration produces the feeling that the golfer is shoving the ball instead of hitting the ball. Actually, even with acceleration, the clubhead hits the ball. Pure shoving is not permitted by the rules of golf. Any inconsistencies in the golfer's muscles result in inconsistencies in the putt. The present invention solves or reduces the effect of this problem with muscles.

Two aspects of putting are fundamental to the putt. The direction, or line, of the putt is one. The initial speed of the ball is the other because it determines how far the ball will roll in a particular set of conditions of the green. This initial speed is a direct function of how fast the putterhead is moving when it contacts the ball. Anything that will improve the line or speed of the putterhead will improve the quality of the putt. The present invention improves both the direction and the initial speed of the ball.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The current invention is a golf putter designed to be held by only one hand in order to achieve the ability to produce a pure pendulum motion. The pure pendulum motion has many advantages and solves problems encountered with the conventional two hand putting method.

The present invention includes a shaft of larger diameter than conventional putters. The diameter is chosen to be sufficient for gripping comfortably along most of length of the shaft by one hand.

The putter shaft may be gripped close to the putter head, with the shaft held against the arm so that the arm and putter move in unison as a pendulum whose pivot point is the joint of the golfer's upper arm and shoulder. With practice, the golfer can move the putter in a coplanar motion similarly to a pure pendulum.

The striking face of the putter may be set and maintained perpendicular to the target line, thereby solving the variable face angle problem attendant putting with two arms. The larger shaft diameter results in less shaft deflection due to inertia forces and forces of contacting the ball. Deflections cause errors in the speed and direction the ball travels. The current invention reduces putting errors due to deflections.

All putting is accomplished by using muscles in the body of the golfer. Muscle power is a source of errors. The current invention has less sources of muscle power errors because the simple pendulum requires less active muscles than the conventional putting method. Conventional putting requires muscles to move the golfer's back and shoulders while holding the arms rigid and the head still. Fewer muscles are required to simply swing the arm while grasping the putter of the current invention.

The current invention allows gravity to aid in controlling the speed of the putterhead at ball contact, which in turns controls the distance the ball will roll. Considering the putter-arm pendulum, muscles are used to create a back stroke which raises the putterhead and the center of gravity of the pendulum. If the muscles are relaxed at the top of the back stroke, then the force of gravity will cause the pendulum to swing downward. Thus, the speed of the putterhead, at ball contact, is determined by gravity and not muscle power. Since gravity is more consistent than muscle power, putting using gravity is more consistent than conventional putting. Combinations of gravity and muscle power may also be used with the current invention.

The line of travel of the putterhead may be easily checked by practicing the back stroke, releasing the backward forces, then stopping the putterhead before it hits the ball. Much as a cue stick is commonly stroked before hitting a billiard ball.

A gripping cover may, or may not, be used on the shaft.

The preferable putterhead appears as a rectangle when viewed from the top as this shape aids in the alignment perpendicular to the target line, similarly to aligning a rectangular picture frame hanging on a wall. Lines on the top of the putterhead aid in positioning the putterhead with respect to the ball so that ball contact may be made with the best spot on the putterhead. The best spot is also known as the “sweet spot”.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective, partially schematic, view of a golfer grasping a putter according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a putter shaft and putterhead according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a putterhead according to one embodiment of the present invention

FIG. 4 is a top view of a putterhead according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an end view of a putterhead according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a front view of a putterhead according to an alternate embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a golf putter that may be comfortably gripped with one hand at any position along the length of the shaft, held against the arm, and manipulated in a manner of a pure pendulum, keeping the club face square to the target line throughout the entire stroke, for improved alignment with the desired target line and for improved control of the distance the ball will roll when struck.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the putter 100 consisting of putter shaft 102 and putterhead 104, along with a schematic of a golfer 106. Golfer 106 has arms 108 and 110. Arm 108 has hand 112 which grips shaft 102 and holds it against arm 108. Arm 110 has hand 114 which is placed against the thigh of leg 116. Arm 108 and putter 100 may be manipulated by being swung in an arc 118 about the joint of arm 108 with shoulder 120. As with any pendulum, force must be used to raise the bottom of the pendulum. This is accomplished with the muscles of the golfer's shoulder. If the shoulder muscles are relaxed, after raising the bottom of the pendulum, gravity forces will cause the pendulum to swing down and the putterhead will gain speed before contacting golf ball 122. Muscles of the shoulder may also be used, along with gravity, to increase the putterhead speed.

FIG. 2 shows putter 100 with shaft 102 connected to putterhead 104. Shaft 102 must make an angle of at least 10 degrees with a vertical line to comply with the rules of golf. The connection of shaft 102 with putterhead 104 may be by any effective means.

FIG. 3 shows a front view of putterhead 104 consisting of a ball striking face 124, bottom surfaces 126, 128 and 130; ends 132 and 134; and ball inserts 138 and 140. Striking face 124 may be vertical, as shown, or at any desired angle. Ball inserts 138 and 140 are one means of destroying the effectiveness of using ends 132 Or 134 as ball striking surfaces. The rules of golf prohibit a putter from having more than two ball striking surfaces. Bottom surfaces 126, 128 and 130 form an approximation to the normally used curved surface which has a constant radius of generation.

FIG. 4 is a top view of putterhead 104, showing the hole 142 used to connect shaft 102 and putterhead 104; the ball alignment lines 144 and 146; and the position of the second ball striking surface 148. The hole 142 is positioned so that the centerline of shaft 102 passes through the center of mass of putterhead 104. Lines 144 and 146 are preferable spaced by a distance about equal to the diameter of a golf ball.

FIG. 5 is an end view of putterhead 104 showing the positions of surfaces 124, 130, 136 and 140; in addition to ball 140. Surfaces 124 and 148 are shown to be parallel but they may be at other angles where this is an advantage.

FIG. 6 is a front view of an alternate design for the bottom surface of the putterhead. Bottom surface 150 is generated with a constant cylindrical radius. The actual difference between the bottom surfaces of FIG. 3 and FIG. 6 may be very little. 

1. A golf putter comprising: a putter shaft of uniform cross section along at least a majority of its length a putterhead including a body with a center-of-mass, said body having one or two ball striking surfaces, a top, two end regions, and a bottom said putterhead securely connected to said putter shaft so that the shaft centerline passes through the center-of-mass of said putterhead said putter shaft diameter being between 2.0 and 4.5 centimeters said putter shaft length a minimum of 46 centimeters axis of said putter shaft offset at least 10 degrees from a line perpendicular to the top of said putterhead and in a plane parallel to a horizontal line in the striking face of said putterhead
 2. The golf putter of claim 1, wherein said putterhead is made of any solid material.
 3. The golf putter of claim 1, wherein said putterhead is made of aluminum alloy.
 4. The golf putter of claim 1, wherein said putterhead is made of steel.
 5. The golf putter of claim 1, wherein said shaft is made of any solid material.
 6. The golf putter of claim 1, wherein said shaft is made of wood.
 7. The golf putter of claim 1, wherein said shaft is made of any tubular material.
 8. The golf putter of claim 7, wherein said shaft is made of aluminum alloy.
 9. The golf putter of claim 7, wherein said shaft is made of steel.
 10. The golf putter of claim 1, wherein said putterhead, when viewed from the top, appears to be mostly of a rectangular shape.
 11. The golf putter of claim 7, wherein the tubular material is capped to close its open end.
 12. The golf putter of claim 1, wherein the top of said putterhead includes two marking lines spaced to indicate where the ball should be located when struck.
 13. The golf putter of claim 1, wherein said shaft may include a grip material covering part or all of its surface.
 14. The golf putter of claim 1, wherein said putterhead has a bottom surface consisting of a section of a cylinder.
 15. The golf putter of claim 1, wherein said putterhead has a bottom surface consisting of three planes that approximate a section of a cylinder.
 16. The golf putter of claim 1, wherein said putterhead includes a ball imbeded in each toe and heel end, said balls to protrude sufficiently to destroy considering the ends to be golf ball striking surfaces.
 17. The golf putter of claim 1, wherein said putterhead has a black colored surface coating.
 18. The golf putter of claim 1, wherein said shaft has a gold colored surface coating.
 19. The golf putter of claim 12, wherein said lines have a white surface. 